Brassiere cup inserts



Jan. 14, 1969 B. L. SCHAEFER BRASSIERE CUP INSERTS Filed July 8, 1966 FIG.

26? FIG; 5.

4 rroemeys,

United States Patent C) 3,421,515 BRASSIERE CUP INSERTS Betty Lucille Schaefer, RD. 6, Kittanning, Pa. 16201 Filed July 8, 1966, Ser. No. 563,778 US. Cl. 128-477 6 Claims Int. Cl. A41c 1/14 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An insert for use in a brassiere cup and formed as a flat, resilient, flexible and compressible body of semicircular shape adapted to seat under a breast in the lower part of the cup. A resilient arm is connected to and extending from one diametrical end of the body and bent to form an are above the body and having a free end disposed close to the other diametrical end of the body, said arm being adapted to supportably engage the underside of the top portion of the brassiere cup.

This invention relates to removable brassiere cup inserts adapted to give added support to breasts and to improve the bust line, and to fill out the cups of a brassiere in cases of removed breasts.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of devices of the kind indicaled above, the use of which enables the wearer to obtain the benefits indicated, while using a conventional or standard brassiere, and while avoiding the trouble and expense of providing special garments.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a chematic perspective view, showing devices of the present invention being worn in a standard brassiere;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front elevation of one of said devices, per se;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section, taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of another device of the invention, partly broken away and in section; and,

FIGURE 6 is a section, taken on the line 66 of FIG- URE 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to FIG- URES 1 to 4 thereof, the device 10 therein shown comprises a substantially semi-circular, fiat, flexible, resilient, and compressible body 12 composed of similar but reversed top and bottom layers 14 and 16, respectively, made of foam rubber, or the equivalent, having adhesive surfaces 17. Between and adhered to the layers 14, 16 is a longitudinal, flexible and resilient reinforcement, here shown as being in the form of feather-boning 18,

which is located near to and extends parallel to and along the straight rear edge 20 of the body 12. Circumferentiall-y spaced radial reinforcements, here shOWn as feather-bonings 22, extend radially outwardly from the featherboning 18, at the center of the body 12, and have outer ends 24, which are close to but spaced from the curved edge 26, of the body 12, the radial bonings being adhered to the layers 14, 16.

The body 12 has on one side thereof an upwardly bowed strip or arm 28 which is a continuation of and is disposed radially relative to the body 12 and is composed of an extension 29 of the layers 14, 16, and contains a continuation, throughout its length, of the longitudinal feather-boning 13. The strap 28 has a free end 30 which, as shown in FIGURE 2, normally reaches 3,421,515 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 close to the opposite side of the body 12. The body 12 and the strip 28 are completely covered by a removable, washable porous cover 32.

In use, in the cups 34 of a standard brassiere B, the device 10 is inserted in the cups, with the body 12 resting upon the bottoms of the cups, and with the strips or arms 28 bearing against the underside of the tops of the cups. In this arrangement, the body 12 then serves to give firm and comfortable support to a breast 36, as indicated in phantom lines in FIGURE 3, with a degree of uplift, while the arm 28 serves to push upwardly and give a filled appearance to the tops of the cups. For a wearer, one or both of whose breasts have been altered by surgery or removed, these desirable effects are obtained, with or without the added insertion, in the device, of padding (not shown).

The device 10a, of FIGURES 5 and 6, is intended for use in bra cups where the existing breasts are undersized or likely to droop. The device 10a comprises a body 12a, generally similar to the body 12, of FIGURES l to 4, except that the body 12a can be proportionately less deep, from front to rear, and does not have an arcuate strip or arm. A further difference is that the body 12a contains a single longitudinal feather-boning 18a, which extends parallel along its straight rear edge 20a, and is spaced therefrom at a greater distance than the longitudinal feather-boning 18, of the device of FIGURES 1 to 4. A removable cover also encloses the device 10a.

In the case of the device 10a, the same is adapted to be inserted in a bra cup to rest upon and conform to the bottom of the cup, so as to serve to give contour and lift to the wearers breasts.

It is to be understood that the described devices are to be made in sizes corresponding to the usual sizes of bra cups, so that the correct sizes of devices can be readily selected by the intended users.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a brassiere cup having top and bottom portions, and an insert removably inserted in the cup and conformably resting upon said bottom portion, said insert comprising a flat, resilient, flexible, and compressible body of semicircular shape, said body having a straight rear edge and an arcuate forward edge, said body near one end of said straight rear edge having an arm of resilient, flexible material connected thereto and bent to form an are extending over the body, said arm supportably engaging the underside of the top portion of the brassiere cup, and said arm having a free end located close to the other end of the straight edge of the body.

2. A cup insert comprising a flat, resilient, flexible, and compressible body of semicircular shape adapted to seat under a breast in the lower portion of a brassiere cup, said body having a straight rear edge and an arcuate forward edge, said body near one end of said straight rear edge having an arm of resilient, flexible material connected thereto and bent to form an are extending over the body, said arm being adapted to supportably engage the underside of the top portion of a brassiere cup, and said arm having a free end located close to the other end of the straight edge of the body.

3. A cup insert according to claim 2 wherein said body is composed of top and bottom layers of porous rubberlike material having adhesive facing surfaces, and a resilient stiffening member located between said layers and extending along the straight rear edge of the body, the layers being adhered to the stiffening member and to each other.

4. A cup insert for a brassiere according to claim 3 wherein said body is additionally provided With radially disposed stiffening members located between said layers and extending between said first stiffening member and the arcuate forward edge of the body, said layers being adhered to the radial members.

5. A cup insert for a brassiere according to claim 2 wherein there is additionally provided a removable cover enclosing said body and said arm.

6. A cup insert for a brassiere according to claim 3 wherein said arm is composed of top and bottom layers of porous rubber-like material forming integral extensions of said top and bottom layers in said body, and wherein said resilient stiffening member is extended by an integral arm-like extension disposed between the top and bottom layers in said arm and bent into the curved shape of said arm.

ADELE M.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1947 Cooper 128-481 7/1950 Hughes 128480 6/1954 Cousins 128--496 1/1955 Dombek 128477 12/1955 Williams 128-477 10/1964 Moody 128-477 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1965 France.

EAGER, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

